Generational Roles
Why is it important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community?
As Stephen Covey taught us in "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "seek first to understand, then to be understood".
The "Boomer vs Gen X vs Millennial" construct is useful, but flawed because "all generalities are false ... including this one". I teach in person at two colleges and find that these "Generations Generalities" are contradicted by individuals' personal experiences/influences. Recent military veterans behave more like "Boomers" than their own generation. Gen Y are tagged with the expectation of "entitlement" ...yet those with strong conservative politics do NOT behave that way in class. So, the "generations" are a great place to start (I use a "generation feedback" questionnaire/discussion to raise the issue and also find out who fits what general category), and then I must assess the individual (how else does one "differentiate instruction" ??). FYI (hey, I bet you know THAT bit of text-speak!) the short "assessment" instrument that I use is not just about generations, but about experience and goals. Regardless of when we were born, we all live in a "me generation" to some extent and the student responses reflect that I am interested in THEM as a person.
Hi everyone! I have often found the interaction between generations as one of the better parts of classroom communication. This highlights the importance of understanding the role that generational differences play in communication. It relates to many aspects of the generations – levels of comfort with technology being a significant one. Not only do I have to adapt to the different styles, but the students do as well. I find that the different generations begin to understand each other better when they begin to see the benefits of the other’s perspective. If used properly generational difference can be an additional learning experience for everyone in the class.
~ Nicole
I think it is fun to see how the different generations post to the DBs and interact.
It is important to understand the different approaches to communication based on age groups because this often correlates to technology skill levels. You often see long, poorly formatted posts from Baby Boomers, and short, sometimes cryptic posts from Millennials.
At the same time, students learn from each other. Millennials learn better grammar and Baby Boomers learn text speak.
Different generations communicate in various manners. Baby Boomers I have found want all of the details spelled out in the syllabus while Millennials simply want to a generalized outline of the syllabus.
Kathleen,
The more we understand our students, no matter what generation, the more we can understand how they may react in different situations. Thanks!
Sharon,
The more we understand our students, no matter what generation, the more we can help them achieve learning outcomes. Thanks!
Craig,
Agreed! There is so much to learn about out students no matter what generation. Thanks!
Mary,
I agree. The better we understand the students, the more we can enhance the learning.
Scott,
Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. They help us all understand better.
Thanks again.
Depending on the generation it can effect how they respond to online learning. Older generations that did not grow up with technology will have a harder time with it. Younger generations it is second nature to them.
Now THAT is a great question.
My father is a pre-war senior citizen who is unable to use email and most of the computer applications.
My best friend is a baby boomer who is digitally communication challenged.
My high school students could not function without their communication device.
I would argue that the most important aspect here is understanding that students today communicate first through text message rather than face to face. Students start dating by text and break up by text. I am concerned they are losing the ability to communicate face to face. One thing particularly upsetting is when they send a text and then if they don't get a response right away, they think that the person is "mad at them", and they can send dozens and dozens of unanswered texts. Meanwhile the recipient is actually taking a test in another class and cannot respond at that moment. Younger generations need to learn to be in the moment.
In teaching this generation, however, understanding that they are much more comfortable communicating online is important. Moreover, if you have students from different generations in your class, that can create specific challenges. In order to "meet students where they are at" in the communication world, we need to understand how they relate to each other. When we do that, we can hopefully bring out their best.
Scott
It is very important to have an understanding of generational perspectives because the attitudes and characteristics will be completely different. Since the social skills are varied, the communication styles must also be varied. The Boomer generation may have a more mature level whereas the Millennial group may require more direct feedback and nurturing.
It is important to understand the role generations play in communication in the online community, because their comfort level with technology may vary. Millennials, may not be as responsive and wish to work alone. The challenge is to get these multigenerational students to participate with one another.
Mary Johnston
Pam,
Respect is such an important component to teaching. Thanks for adding that to the conversation.
I know that I have had to learn a lot about computers because I teach and use them daily. However, some are not exposed to this and as a facilitator, you must respect others.
Understanding generational differences allows the instructor to effectively communicate to his/her students because communication is the foundation of online learning. For example, many of my students run the range, from baby boomers to millennials. I fall between the baby boomers and GenX so I am comfortable with technology but I expect communication should reflect professional language and not text-massaging language (this is a challenge). It is very important to keep all of your students engaged in your course no matter where they fall within the generational continuum.
Brandon,
You are right. It's important to communicate effectively with all students and using a variety of ways is helpful. Thanks!
William,
Good examples. This just goes to show that we are all different, but good online instructors can help all students learn. Thank you.
Elivett,
Good point. When we understand our students better, we can help them strive to reach the learning outcomes. Thanks for your input.
